OsloMet hosts the 4th annual NQLS

Noa Cecilie Sæther on 13. October 2024

The 4th annual Nordic Quantum Life Science Round Table (NQLS) was held at Soria Moria on the 16th and 17th of september, hosted by NordSTAR, the Quantum Hub, OsloMet AI Lab and Simula.

Since 2021, representatives from Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway have taken turns hosting the event. Among the attending are academics, researchers, politicians and stakeholders from the public and private sector.

Promoting quantum computing

The round table aims to advance the field of quantum life sciences by debating and sharing knowledge between scientists and innovators.

By exploring advanced technology, software and algorithms, they hope to apply the knowledge to practical problems in life sciences in the future.

Head of NordSTAR and professor at OsloMet, Pedro Lind, emphasizes the value of promoting quantum computing towards life science applications.

– For instance, quantum computers could calculate the chemical combinations and matching effects of pharmaceuticals at a greater speed than any other computer, he explains.

Pedro Lind introduced the round table on the 16th of september. Foto: Sonja Balci / Oslomet.

Great turnout

Among several presentations were Shaukat Ali from SIMULA, on “The superposition of quantum computing and artificial intelligence”, Morten Hjort-Jensen on “Quantum technologies and machine learning, research and education at the University of Oslo” and Sølve Selstø, from the OsloMet Quantum Hub, presenting the challenges of teaching quantum computing to non-technical audiences.

Additionally, the statements “How to make Nordic Quantum Life Science stronger and more competitive” and “Quantum hardware requirements for first life science applications: Status and outlook” were debated.

This year marked an increase in Norwegian stakeholders. Photo: Olav Johan Øye.

Lind’s overall impressions of the event were very positive, specifically when observing this years Norwegian participation.

Next year, the torch will be passed back to the Swedish NQLS-group. Until then, the steering committee will be working on a position paper summarizing the discussions on Quantum Life Sciences so far.

A very pleasant visit

solvese on 3. October 2024

Image credit: Christen Krogh.

We love having visitors at our Hub. Monday September 30th, we had particularly distinguished ones: Karianne Tung (minister of digitalization), Bjørn Arild Gram (minister of defence) and Oddmund Hoel (minister of higher education and research) came by.

The occasion was a budget leak: The government will allocate 70 million kroner annually to quantum tech. This funding will be allocated via the Research Council.

It is truly great to see that the efforts made by the Norwegian community on raising quantum awareness hasn’t gone unnoticed by the government.

This was a good day at the office!

Read more about it in today’s Klassekampen,

https://klassekampen.no/artikkel/2024-10-03/kvantesprang-for-kvanteforskning

and on our own pages,

https://www.oslomet.no/om/nyheter/storsatsing-kvanteteknologi

REGAL-prosjekter på MANUEL

Noa Cecilie Sæther on 2. October 2024

16.-20. september presenterte Vebjørn Bakkestuen og Andre Laestadius sine REGAL-prosjekter på konferansen Mathematical and Numerical Analysis of Electronic Structure Models (MANUEL). Konferansen ble arrangert av Professor Benjamin Stramm ved Universitetet i Stuttgart på campuset i Vaihingen.

Her samlet de matematikere, fysikere og kjemikere fra hele verden som driver med matematisk og numerisk analyse innenfor elektronstrukturberegninger. På programmet var alt fra maskinlæringsmetoder for tetthetsfunksjonalteori til ulike aspekter ved numerisk analyse av både velkjente og nye metoder. Programmet inneholdt også en rekke andre matematiske analyser av både teori og metodikk innen fagfeltet.

© Brit Steiner / University of Stuttgart

Laestadius presenterte prosjektet Quantum-electrodynamical density-functional theory for the Dicke Hamiltonian, en analyse av tetthetsfunksjonsteori for kvante-elektrodynamiske modellsystemer. Prosjektet ble gjennomført i samarbeid med Bakkestuen, Mihály A. Csirik og Markus Penz, og analyserte interaksjoner mellom lys og materie ved hjelp av et Density Functional Theory (DFT)-perspektiv.

Bakkestuen fremviste også en poster fra prosjektet Kohn-Sham inversion with mathematical guarantees, i samarbeid med Laestadius og Michael F. Herbst ved École Polytechnique Fédéral de Lausanne (EPFL). De undersøkte hvordan man ved hjelp av ny algoritme kan bruke elektrontettheten i krystaller og andre periodiske strukturer til å finne det elektriske potensialet som genererer en slik tetthet.

Posteren henger nå på veggen mellom Kvantehuben og kaffemaskinen i 3. etasje på kontoret!

Prosjektene møtte gode tilbakemeldinger fra publikum, da det var en ny og interessant angrepsvinkel. Nå skal REGAL-gruppa ta med seg kommentarene videre i sine neste prosjekter.

Kvantehuben til stede på konferanse om cybersikkerhet

Noa Cecilie Sæther on 21. September 2024

10. og 11. september deltok kvantehuben på Finans Norge sin konferanse “Digital robusthet 2024 – svindel og cybersikkerhet”. Der diskuterte de informasjonssikkerhet og svindel i finansnæringen.

Sølve var på plass for å fortelle om kvanteteknologi, og trusselen kvantedatamaskiner kan utgjøre mot dagens krypteringer i fremtiden.

Les mer her!

Yves brings a new perspective to the Quantum Hub

Noa Cecilie Sæther on 5. September 2024

Yves Rezus, lecturer in physics at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS), is joining the Quantum Hub team this year. 

Having a PhD in ultrafast spectroscopy, Yves led a research group for several years. He has always been eager to find out about the laws of nature and is passionate about sharing his understanding with others. Therefore, he started lecturing chemistry at the Inholland University of Applied Sciences. 

In 2022, Yves moved to AUAS and became part of the team developing and teaching the new Applied Physics program. The university teaches students technical skills, such as constructing complex detectors. 

Experimental knowledge

Now, Yves, his wife and their two sons are moving to Oslo for a year. He is still working two days a week for his home institution, coordinating a specialization semester on Enabling Technologies for Quantum Science, but spends the remaining days of the week participating in lectures, doing outreach and other projects at the Quantum Hub. The second semester, he hopes to get involved in the master projects. 

– Both AUAS and OsloMet are developing new courses and have applied research projects on quantum technology, so this is a great opportunity to see if we can learn from each other, he says. 

Yves thinks his hands on, experimental knowledge will bring a different perspective on quantum technology to OsloMet. He is already impressed by the faculty’s openness and the students’ enthusiasm to learn about this perspective. 

Eager to learn

Yves views every day in Norway is an adventure where he discovers something new. Having learned Norwegian for half a year, he admires people’s willingness to speak Norwegian with him and values the practice he gets from small talk. 

So, when you run into Yves in the hallway: strike up a conversation! 

Welcome to the team, Yves! 

Hjelp med kommunikasjon

solvese on 2. September 2024

Vi er veldig glade for å ha fått Noa Cecilie Sæther med på laget! Noa studerar journalistikk på andre året hos oss på OsloMet. I tida framover vil ho hjelpe oss med reportasjar, bilder, tekst og anna som har med kvante-aktiviteten vår å gjere.

Velkommen, Noa!

Welcome to the Quantum Hub, Yves!

sergiyde on 29. August 2024

Professor Yves Rezus from the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (Hogeschool van Amsterdam) joined the Quantum Hub last week for his one-year sabbatical. During his time, he will participate in various Quantum Hub activities, including outreach and teaching. Specifically, he will contribute to our course on Quantum Information Technology, which aligns perfectly with his efforts at the Hogeschool, where he is also establishing a practical course on Quantum Physics and Technologies. We anticipate many productive discussions on teaching strategies, methods, and approaches, enriched by his field experience!

Last but not least, as an expert in NMR technology, Yves can help to realize our dream to utilize our three-qubit machine as an experimental platform to explore NMR physics.

Arendal: Quantum of interest

solvese on 27. August 2024

The Arendal week has long since passed. And, in terms of technology, the winner of the battle for attention was quite undisputed: AI.

There were, however, some events dedicated to emerging quantum technologies too. Two, to be specific. While few, less than 1 per mille of the number of AI related events, they were very well visited.

Please read Andre Brodtkorb’s and Sergiy Denysov’s reflections on the topic in this Khrono-kronikk:

https://www.khrono.no/norge-ma-ta-del-i-det-globale-kvantekapplopet/896460

The QHub in Arendal

solvese on 12. August 2024

To anyone in who happen to be in Arendal Tuesday August 13th: Please join the quantum session at 14.00!

We are happy to see GlobalConnect raising the issue of the Norwegain participation in the quantum race, or, rather, the lack of such. They have put together very interesting panels of participans, many of whom are friends of the family.

Do come to Edgars bakeri and listen if you happen to be in Arendal during the Arendalsuka!